LocationsThe Mountain We Rise With: How Youth in Ndirande Are Rebuilding a Community and Its Environment
March 24, 2026
A member of the Busy Youth group plants a tree on the slopes of Ndirande Mountain in Blantyre.
High above the crowded streets of Ndirande Township, the silhouette of Ndirande Mountain stands as a reminder of both the challenges and hope that define this busy Blantyre community.
For years, the mountain suffered from deforestation, charcoal burning, and land degradation, with its once lush slopes thinned by pressure from a growing population and chronic poverty. But today, something remarkable is happening on those slopes. And at the heart of it is a youth-led movement determined to reclaim both the land and their future.
Busy Youth Organization, a passionate group of young Malawians, has emerged as one of the strongest examples of community-driven resilience under the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme, supported by UNDP. Their mission is simple yet bold: to prove that youth are not leaders of tomorrow; they are leaders of today.
Formed in 2014, Busy Youth champions youth empowerment, environmental stewardship, women’s inclusion, and climate action. Their project, “Enhancing Urban Environmental Sustainability Through Total Community Engagement,” has transformed Ndirande’s environmental landscape through a combination of tree planting, waste management, adoption of clean energy, and deep community mobilisation.
Busy Youth Director, Kondwani Gulani, says the project succeeded because the community owned it.
A Project Born from Crisis and Community Hope
When the project started in 2023, Ndirande was still recovering from the severe effects of Cyclone Freddy. Landslides had scarred the mountain. Rivers had overflowed. Many believed the land could not recover.
But on the very first day of implementation, something extraordinary occurred: over 5,000 community members gathered and planted 7,000 trees in a single day. For Busy Youth’s Director, Kondwani Gulani, this was the moment he realised the community believed in the vision.
“The project succeeded because the community owned it,” he explains. “Cyclone Freddy had destroyed so much, but people came out in numbers. That day restored hope.”
Over the course of the project, 20,000 seedlings were planted, community‑run nurseries were established, and bylaws were introduced to protect the mountain for future generations.
These efforts have led to the complete cessation of farming on the hillsides and sparked new interest in activities such as beekeeping. The creation of community nurseries has also reduced the previous dependency on external support for tree planting. In the past, communities relied on organisations to supply trees, but they can now grow their own seedlings locally.
The project has also had a significant impact on soil conservation and flood prevention.
“This year, we haven’t seen the high levels of soil erosion experienced in previous years, now that the trees are growing and holding the soil,” says Kondwani.
Youth leader, Brave Chatama, says the Ndirande community has seen positive change in waste management.
“There is wealth all around us in the environment. We just need to protect it. Youth are ready. We are the leaders of today.”
Cleaner Homes, Cleaner Streets, Cleaner Air
One of the project’s biggest breakthroughs came from pairing environmental restoration with clean energy access. Through the SGP grant, Busy Youth distributed liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) gas stoves to reduce reliance on firewood and charcoal.
A total of 350 LPG stoves and cylinders were distributed, while 73 additional households independently adopted the technology, demonstrating a strong multiplier effect.
For young leaders like Brave Chatama, who was born and raised in Ndirande, the change has been life‑changing. It has reduced the time previously spent searching for firewood or charcoal, while also eliminating exposure to the harmful smoke produced by these traditional energy sources.
Waste management has also dramatically improved. Ten public waste bins were placed in previously littered hotspots, and the community, once notorious for poor waste habits, now practices organised waste disposal.
“People used to throw garbage anywhere,” Brave says. “Now we have designated places. The community has changed.”
Some of the waste is processed into manure, which members of the group use in their gardens. The organisation aims to expand this initiative and begin selling the manure to farmers in the surrounding community on a larger scale.
One tree at a time, trees are being planted on the slopes of Ndirande Mountain.
Youth Taking Charge of Their Environment and Their Future
Busy Youth believes that young people must be at the forefront of development. Their project empowered hundreds of youths and women with training in environmental management, nursery establishment, community leadership, recycling and waste management, and entrepreneurship linked to environmental protection.
These skills have not only improved the environment but also created new income opportunities. Community nurseries now sell seedlings, and future plans include timber production, beekeeping, and a community park to boost the local economy.
Beyond the Grant: A Movement That Continues to Grow
Although the grant concluded, Busy Youth remains active today. The momentum has not slowed because the community itself has taken charge.
“We are still going strong,” Kondwani shares. “The community owns this work now. They run nurseries, maintain trees, and enforce bylaws. That is sustainability.”
For UNDP and the GEF SGP, this is the spirit of the programme: community-led, youth-driven climate action that endures long after funding ends.
A Message From the Youth of Ndirande to Malawi and the World
Brave has a message for fellow youth everywhere:
“There is wealth all around us in the environment. We just need to protect it. Youth are ready. We are the leaders of today.”
Stripped by deforestation and charcoal burning, Ndirande Mountain slopes are now showing signs of renewal, driven by a determined youth movement reclaiming the land and their future.